Google Maps Just Got Much More Accurate In Taiwan, Malaysia, And Other Countries

The Batu Caves Temple in
Malaysia. Landmarks like this could get more accurately mapped,
thanks to the 'Ground Truth' inclusion.Flickr
/ Hazara

Google will now depict five countries — Taiwan, Malaysia, Poland,
Romania, and Russia — much more accurately on Google Maps, thanks
to their addition to the company's "Ground Truth"
initiative.

Started in 2008, Ground Truth denotes Google's process of
acquiring high-quality map data from authoritative sources
and then applying algorithms, satellite and Street View data, and
human input to make Maps as up-to-date as possible.

As of today, 50 countries have had their maps updated through
Ground Truth.

Google also launched Map Maker and Report A Problem in Taiwan,
Russia, and Malaysia, which let people crowd-source the mapping
process by contributing their firsthand knowledge to depict
things like parks, new streets, and other points of interest. The
overall goal: To get the most up-to-date, accurate Google
Maps.

"Much of the magic behind Maps comes from people," writes product
manager Manik Gupta. "From the Googlers who spend hours
perfecting every road in the world, to the users who come
together to improve the quality of maps in their local
communities."